Summer has finally started to slow down for Lauren Anderson — well, when it comes to club volleyball anyway.

The Deer Creek-Mackinaw senior-to-be wrapped up the club season when she played in the 17 Open AAU national title match last Monday at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla.

“The energy was really high,” Anderson said. “It was intense. It reminded a lot of playing at (Illinois State) in the state tournament.

“They were really similar matches to me. It’s win or go home.”

Her Illini Elite 17 Cardinal squad lost 25-19, 25-23 to the Mizuno Northern Lights. She had three kills in Illini Elite’s 13th match over a four-day span.

“After volleyball for four days in a convention center, it’s nice to relax a little bit,” Anderson said from Georgia on a family vacation.

Anderson, the two-time reigning Journal Star Volleyball Player of the Year, was one of three Illini Elite players named to the All-American team. She posted four straight double-digit kills matches, including a 14-kill effort in the quarterfinals.

The 5-foot-10 outside hitter says she thought it would be really cool to be an All-American, but was more focused on the title match.

“It was a surprise just to know that everything I put into this season finally paid off,” said Anderson, who had 12 kills and two blocks in the semifinal. “That’s just the example of everything that we do, you earn.”

With the national title match airing on ESPN3, the announcers had plenty of high praise for the Lipscomb recruit.

“How about that Lauren Anderson? I’ve been down to Lipscomb and they’re getting a good one,” one analyst remarked following a kill.

After getting knocked out the previous two years in the opening round of single elimination, it was the farthest Anderson’s team has made it in five years with Illini Elite.

Chemistry, she said, is definitely a key part of the team, despite having outside hitters that are only 5-8 and 5-10. A lot of opposing coaches have even told the 17 Cardinal team that they are “scary,” according to Anderson.

“We’re scrappy and gritty,” she said. “Our big word is relentless. We want to be that team that no one wants to play and people are afraid to play.”

As for the rest of her summer, Anderson will join Dee-Mack for open gyms three days a week, plus summer league matches at Illini Elite. Plus, she’s playing in a weekend rec sand volleyball league.

She’ll also travel next week to Lipscomb for the Elite Skills Camp.

Page 2 of 2 - This will give her a chance to interact with her future coaches and teammates on the court for the first time.

“It will be great to meet the other girls in my class that are committed there and finally get to hang out with them and play with them,” Anderson said. “This is a really good opportunity before senior year and college.”

Outside of volleyball, she baby-sits every day — but has July free — and works out four times a week. But she’ll make an attempt to spend some down time with her friends hanging out.

“I’m looking forward to that,” Anderson said.

ADAM DUVALL is a Journal Star sports reporter. He can be reached at 686-3207 or aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.